Tension-controlling device



W. LIND. TENSION CONTROLLING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29, um.

advent Wi/fidm L/hd Patented Aug. 7 15, 1922.

UNE'LEB STATES "PATENT orrics.

WILLIAM LIND. OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TENSION-CONTROLLING DEVICE.

Application filed June 29,

T 0 all whom-it may concern:

Be it known that I, IVILLIAM LIND, a citi zen of the United States of America, residing at New York, N. Y., have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tension-Controlling Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to tension controlling devices and particularly to a resilient coupling link for towing lines used on ships.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a simple and eflicient device for gradually absorbing a sudden stress to which a towing line or other device or apparatus might be subjected.

IVith this object in view. the present invention contemplates the construction of a tension controlling device in which the outside force applied to the device is opposed by a plurality of resilient means of varying elasticity. Due to the difl'erence in the elasticity of the various resilient means, notwithstanding the fact that the outside force is simultaneously applied to all such means, first, the resilient means of the greatest elasticity will respond and another resilient means of lesser elasticity will respond only when the former had been strained to the limit of its elasticity. A shock will thus be gradually absorbed.

In accordance with the present invention,

- the mentioned resilient means are preferably in the form of coiled springs of various strengths counteracting each other. A stress exerted on a towing line between two sections of which the device may be provided, will cause first the'compression of the weakest spring. When this spring absorbs a portion of the shock, a stronger spring is compressed, etc, until the device is fully operated. The springs are held within hollow tubes and arenormally in a telescoped position. Upon the application of force, the tubes and springs are extended in the same direction, each spring coacting with the two adjacent tubes. The arrangement is so provided that the resiliency of the device may be varied by the addition of new springs and without the necessity of changing the thickness or length of the existing springs.

In order to exemplify and more fully to explain the invention, an embodiment thereof will be described in detail.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a-longitudinal r ss se t n 91' th devi e in its normal mg strengths.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 15, 1922.

1921. Serial No. 481,271.

shaped end 3. The other end of this plunger is provided with a shoulder 2. A coiled spring at is wound around the'plunger 1. One end of this spring 1 engages the shoulder 2 of the plunger, and the other end is in engagement with an inside pro je'cting ring 7 providedat one end of a hollow tube 5 that normally encloses the plunger 1 and the spring 4. -The inside end of the tube 5 is provided with'an outside projecting ring 6 against which rests the inside end of a coiled spring 8 wound around the tube 5. The outside end 'od' this spring 8 is in engagement with ring 10 provided inside of a hollow tube 9 and. at the outward end thereof. "This tube9' is of the same length as the tube 5 but of a sufiiciently large diameter to enclose the latter. I

In addition to the above mentioned tubes and springs. hollow tubes 13 and 17 of gradually increasing diameters are provided and arranged to actuate coiled springs 12, 16 and 22. For this purpose, these tubes also are provided with inside pro ecting rings 1 1 and 18 at one end, and outside projecting rings 11, 15 and 19' at their other ends.

The largest hollow tube 17 and the. surrounding coiled spring 22 are enclosed within a casing 20 provided at one end with an inside projecting ring 21 engaging one end of the spring 12. The other end of the casing 20 is closed and a hook 25 is attached thereto by means of a rivet '26. A plate 23 secured within the casing 20 by means of rivets 2t'serves as a stop agalnst which the hollow tubes and the plunger 1 normally rest.

It could be noted that the coiled springs 1, 8, 12, 16 and 22 are of gradually increas- The spring 4 is the weakest and the spring 22 the strongest.

Preferably, the device is used to control the tension of towing lines and should for this purpose be attached between two sec-' tions 30 and 30 of a towing line. When power is applied to the two sections of the towing line in the directions indicated by the arrows, first only the weakest spring 4 will resp nd and permit the movement of the shoulder 2 of the plunger towards the ring 7 When the spring 4 absorbs a portion of the shock, the outside stress'ivillbe transmit ted through the tube 5 and its outwardly projecting ring 6 to the stronger coiled spring 8. The spring 8 is now pressed against the ring 10, and will in turntransmit the outside stress to the next spring. I fthe stress has not as yet been absorbed, this operation geontinues until the last and strongest coiled spring 22'is fully. compressed.

- It will. be seen therefore that a sudden pull on the towing line will not act as "a shock, but will be gradually"absorbed by the tension controlling device the various parts of Whichyvillone after. thebther respond to such outside force.

If desired, the 'graduation of the springs may be such that the compression of one spring begins when that of the preceding is terminated, i. e. a spring Willnot respond until after the preceding spring. is fully compressed. Itwill be obvious to those skillcd in the art that certain features of the invention may be utilized for other purposes than tlle relievin of strain or] tension on *towing lines" fiurthermore, the ;device may be variously modifiedjivithout departing from the spirit of. the invention. Instead of the "coiled spr ngs, other resilient meansmay be utilized; the order in which the coiled sprlngs respond may be reversed or otherwise changed; the number of the sprlngs 'niay be'variedat will; a plurality of such devlces may be provided 111 a single towing.

line; etc., etc.

'What I: claim is: 1. I11 combinaton, a plunger, a coiled spring of certain elasticity wound around said plunger, a shoulder on said plunger engaged by one end of said spring, a hollow tube enclosing said spring and plunger, an

inside projection on one end of said tube engaging the. other end of said spring, a coiled spring of different elasticity Wound around said tube, an outside projection on theother end said tube engaging'one end of said last mentioned spring, a second l1ol low: tube, enclosing :said last mentioned spring,"and an insideprojection on one end of said second tube engaging the other end of said second mentioned spring.

2. In combination, a plurality of coiled springs, eachof a different elasticity and one enclosing'the other, a plunger enclosed by the smallest spring, a plurality of hollow tubes, each separating adjacent springs, an. inside projection on one end and ,an outside projection on the other end of ea'chtiibe for engaging the'ad' acent springs, a pro ection on. the plunger for engaging one end of the smallest spring, a casing enclosmgthe largest spring, and an inside projection on one end of saidcasingfor engaging one endof said largest spring.

3. Ineombination, a casing,"a plurality of tubes telescoped Within said casing, means for extending said casing in one direction and said tubes in the opposite direction, and a plurality of coiled springs of difi'erentstrengths for opposing the extending of said. tubes.

4. In'combiuation,a casing, a closure on one side Of'SllCl cas1ng,a plurahty'of tubes telcscoped Within said casing, and engaging With their inner ends said closure, aplural1ty-otcoiled springs, each spring being interposedbetweenthe inner end of one and the outer end oithe next'largest tubeymeans for nillingthe casing,in one direction and the smallest cent-rally looatecbtube in the opposite direction, and means operative thereupon for connpletely compressing said springs 1niSHCC'8'SSl0I1.

. In combination,a:towinglinedivided into two sectionsfa plurality of coiled springs of gradually increasing spirals and strengths, a plunger: attachedto one section of "saidmtowing line enclosed by the smallest spring,a plurality of hollow-tubes of gradually increasing diameters, "each WILLIAM 'LI NDc 

